A colourful new walking trail celebrating the creativity of local schoolchildren will wind through the heart of the town this September, bringing the St Annes International Kite Festival to life in a brand-new way.
Pupils from Heyhouses Endowed C.E. Primary School, Mayfield Primary School and St Thomas’ Church of England Primary School are busy creating kite designs. These will be hand-painted onto the windows of 15 businesses across St Annes town centre by community art studio Durose Studios, which has been a beloved fixture on St Andrews Road South for more than six years. Each school received a package of art materials supplied by Fylde Council from local business Dawson Art & Craft Emporium — one of the 15 businesses proudly taking part in the trail itself.
The free self-guided trail encourages visitors to make their way from the promenade through the town centre, popping into participating businesses along the route.
The trail will run from Friday, September 4 to Sunday, September 6 during the Kite Festival weekend.
Trail leaflets will be available from each participating business and the Discover Fylde bus on the promenade, with a fun twist for families — each window features a hidden letter, and those who find them all will be in with the chance to win a prize.
Participating businesses include Dawson Art & Craft Emporium, Durose Studios, Eat the Italian Way, Fable, Fresh Café, Holland & Barrett, Margaret's Florist, '#NoFilter Coffeehouse & Bistro', Orchard Tea Rooms, Palace Pets, Scarlett & Jack's, Storytellers Inc., The Cheese Emporium, The Pier Inn and Wood Street Coffee.
Councillor Jayne Nixon, Lead Member for Tourism, Leisure and Culture, said: "The Kite Festival is one of our most-loved events, and this trail is a fantastic way to extend that buzz right through the heart of St Annes town centre. We want visitors to explore beyond the promenade, discover our wonderful independent businesses, and take a moment to appreciate the incredible artwork our local schoolchildren have produced. It's a real celebration of community creativity, and I can't wait to see it come to life in September."
Iz Durose, founder of Durose Studios, added: "Durose Studios is the Fylde coasts' creative inclusive community hub, ran by artists, that uses creativity to build community, teach new skills and to make the arts accessible for everyone. We are so excited to be partnering on this project in collaboration with Fylde Council at St Annes Kite Festival; the event brings international crowds to our gorgeous town and we can’t wait to work with local schools and businesses to create the trail!"
Find out more about the St Annes International Kite Festival, here.
